Prime Minister greets Japanese economy minister

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc assured visiting Japanese
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hirosighe Seko that the Vietnamese
government offers all possible support to Japanese investors in Vietnam.

During a
reception in Hanoi on September 14 for the minister, the PM lauded Japan as the
fourth largest trade partner and the largest supplier of official development
assistance (ODA) to Vietnam.

He hailed
the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (MITE) and the Vietnamese
Ministry of Industry and Trade for promptly realising important terms in the
joint statement and effectively upholding the efficiency of the Vietnam-Japan
Joint Committee on Industrial, Trade and Energy Cooperation mechanism.

The MITE was
also praised for assisting Vietnam in food processing and improving the
competitiveness of agro-fishery export.

The host
asked Japan to facilitate the licensing of Vietnamese fruits export to the
country, firstly litchi and longans as mentioned in the joint statement, as
well as help Vietnam carry out an action plan on priority industries in its
industrialisation strategy within the Vietnam-Japan cooperation framework
towards 2020 with a vision to 2030.

Both
countries should bolster energy collaboration, including building high-capacity
coal-fired thermal power plants and smart grids in Vietnam, he suggested.

The Minister,
for his part, said Japan is willing to share experience with Vietnam in State
enterprise reform, adding that the country also supports the proposal on loosening
requirements for Vietnamese fruits import and the two nations are processing relevant
procedures.

He also
pledged to offer a support package to Vietnam in the process of executing the
industrialisation strategy.

The two
nations will establish a working group to step up energy cooperation such as
coal-fired thermal or renewable energy.

The minister
also asked the Vietnamese government and the PM to support Japan’s underway
projects in Vietnam.-VNA